Thawing apparatus for fire-engines.



W. E. LEE.

THAWING APPARATUS FOR FIRE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1913 Patentd Dec. 1, 1914.

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THAWING APPARATUS FOR FIRE ENGINES.

APPLIGATION FILED Al]G.4,1913

1,1 19,761 Patented Dec.1,1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. LEE, 0]? COLUMBUS, OHIO,-ASSIGNOR TO THE SEAGRAVE COMPANY, OF

COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

THAWING APPARATUS FOR FIRE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914;.

Application filed August 4, 1913. Serial No. 782,810.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing -at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Thawing Apparatus for'Fire-Engines, of which the following is a specification. 7 1 The water at fire plugs is often found frozen so that it is necessary that it be thawed before the firemen can use it. Where horse drawn steam fire engines are used the steam of the engine boiler is utilized for thawing out the plug but in the most modern fire engine, which uses a gasolene or explos1ve engine, steam has not been convening purposes. Fig. 2 is a detail on a larger scale of the steam generator. Fig. 3 is a detail in side view and section of the pump employed to force water into the generator.

Fig. 4 is an end and sectional view looking to the right from the line w-a: Fig. 3 of the Pump In the views 5 designates the several cylinders of the gasolene or explosive engine.

6 designates the conductor for the exhaust of the explosive engine. Connected with the exhaust conductor by several pipes 7 is the casing 8 of the steam boiler or generator.

9 is the coiled pipe of the steam generator. The exhaust discharge is furnished with a butterfly valve at 10 for diverting the exhaust and its heat into the casing of the steam generator and the several pipes '7 are provided with similar valves at 7, b and 7 A lever 11 on the stem of the valve at 10 is.

connected at one end by suitable links 10 10 and 10 with several crank arms 12, 12 and 12 on the stems of the valves 7 7 b and 7 so that when the valve at 10 is closed the valves at 7, 7 b and 7 are opened and conversely.

13 is a water tank, from which a hne plpe 14 leads into the pipe 9 of the steam generator. In the pipe line 14 is a force pump, the piston of which is designated 15. The piston of this pump has attached to it one end of a lever 16 fulcrumed at 16 the other end of the lever resting on a shouldered collar 17 on the stem 18 of one'of the puppet "alves of the explosive engine. The collarvl7 works the lever and pump piston upward and a coil spring 19 works them downward.

20 designates a cam lever that when turned down on the upper end of the pump piston looks it from operation. When the piston is locked down the opposite end of the lever is at or above the limit of the upward stroke of the collar 17 of the puppet valve rod so as not to interfere with the operation of the puppet valve or to impose upon the member any unnecessary work. The bearing or fulcrum 16 of the lever 16 is located on an adjustable standard 21 sliding on a bracket arm connecting the pump barrel and the base of the gas engine, said standard having a set screw 22 by means of which said standard is fixed in adjusted position. The stroke of the pump piston can be regulated as to length by changing the position of said standard. Connecting the crank arm 12 and cam lever 20 is a link 23.

The pipe line 14 is provided with a rotary valve at 24. the stem of which has crank arm 25 and connecting the link 23 and said crank arm 25 is a link 26. The lever 11 has connected with that end opposite the connection of the link 10 a rod 27 having a knob that can be pressed with the foot to move all the connected links and levers to close the valve at 10 open the valves at 7 7 and 7, release the cam lever locking the pump piston and open the valve 24: to admit heat to the generator casing and water to the coil of that member and permit the operation of the pump. A reverse operation of the rod 27, of course, cuts off the heat from the generator casing, the water supply and locks the pump. The pump is an ordinary force pump and the pipe line at each side thereof is provided with check valves 28 and 29 so that water is forced toward the generator coil. It is convenient to run the steam pipe 30 from the generator coil to the rear of the machine where said pipe-is provided with a member 31 suitable for the attachment of a proper length of flexible hose for applying stea to the frozen water plug.

' The generator is preferably of the type known as flash Where after sufficient heating all the Water supplied to the coil is converted into steam and discharged in that condition.

In practice the driver or his associate will, in cold Weather, operate the rod 27 so as to cause the apparatus to generate steam on the Way to a fire call so as to be prepared for the thawing operation at the time of arrival at the plug.

What I claim is 1. Ice thawing means for a motor propelled pumping engine, comprising, in combination, a conductor for the exhaust gases of the motor, a steam generator heated .by said exhaust gases, a Water supply, a pump operated by the motor to feed the Water to the generator, and common means for regulating and controlling the supply of heat and water to the generator.

2. Ice thawing means for a motor propelled pumping engine, comprising, in combination, a conductor for the exhaust gases of the motor, a steam generator heated by i said exhaust gases, a Water supply, a pump operated by the motor to feed the water to the generator, and common means for con trolling the supply Water to the generator and the operation of the pump for pumping said Water. I

3. Ice thawing means for a motor propelled pumping engine, comprising, in combination, a conductor for the exhaust gases of the motor, a steam generator heated by said exhaust gases, a Water supply, a pump operated by the motor to feed the Water to i the generator, and common means for con-- trolling the supply of heat and Water to the generator and also the operation of the ipump for pumping said Water.

WILLIAM E. LEE.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN FINOKEL, GEORGE M. FINCKEL. 

